Volvo stern gland won't burp now

[Seal_surfer]

Volvo stern gland won\'t burp now

I might be concerned unduly, but ......
My lift keel super seal is on a half tide mooring and I used to be take the care to vent any air from the rubber boot before casting off. I have had to remove and refit the engine after rebuilding, but I now find that squeezing the boot no longer releases air (and eventually water). It is possible that the engine/shaft are a few mm fwd or aft of where they used to be (carefully aligned laterally/angular though). I don't have the Volvo seal instructions, but is there a procedure for setting up the position on shaft vs stern tube - would this account for lack of burping!

I am reluctant to risk the shaft running on a "dry" seal, although I do use the proper grease annually.

Any experience or knowledge of the instructions would be most welcome.

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[boatone]

Re: Volvo stern gland won\'t burp now

On my installation there is a water feed pipe from the raw water intake to the tube side of the seal and it has a valve on it where it joins the stern tube. Do you have similar? is it possible you have left something adrift or the valve is closed after the engine refit?

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[Mudplugger]

Re: Volvo stern gland won\'t burp now

I assume you are referring to the one brilliant piece of volvo equipment that is supplied to the marine market.... the shaft seal, with the little red plastic insert, to allow the sllicone grease to be inserted??. If so, in about 8 years of use on a drying mooring ( F/K Westerly 33 Ketch) never had occasion to follow the course of action you suggest... Once a year application of Silli grease kept the bilge dry. HTH... regards Tony W.

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[Seal_surfer]

Re: Volvo stern gland won\'t burp now

Thanks for your replies. Mine is the one piece volvo type that simply has a clamp securing the boot to the stern tube - no other external connections - Model not known, but very common.
I have not yet interfered with it internally - other than injecting grease under the fwd lip once a year. Does anyone one know what actually happens under the boot when you squeeze the boot to vent air (mine dries out/drains every tide you see and will not be cooled/lubricated if dry). Are ther critical measurements for the rotating bit versus the static bit? It was burping fine until engine refitted, so its an alignment issue (fore & aft) I think.

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[alldownwind]

Re: Volvo stern gland won\'t burp now

I had one of these on our previous boat, brilliant.
It's not something like.......since you refitted the engine, the shaft is 'higher' in the seal so there is not the flexibility in the top arc of the seal to allow you to pinch it properly? Could you try pinching it on the underneath? (Sounds dodgy on re-reading...!)

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[mirabriani]

Re: Volvo stern gland won\'t burp now

"interferred with it internally"
"Pinched it underneath"
Is there a hidden aggenda in this post to confuse the unmarried ?
Briani

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[boatone]

Re: Volvo stern gland won\'t burp now

water has to get in somehow. If its not happening the water route is obstructed or the venting isnt taking place to allow the water to replace the air.
dont get too esoteric...look for something simple /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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[jerryat]

Re: Volvo stern gland won\'t burp now

Hi Sea surfer,

Agree with the others - this is a genuinely excellent design from the (generally accurately) much maligned Volvo outfit and has been used on my boat since new, 20 years ago. It is still in perfect condition though I have just replaced it with the 'spare' bought ages ago, as part of my major refit. PersonnalIy I am amazed that people still put up with stuffing glands and the 'pressure plate' type seals which always seem to drip water into the boat and are considerably more expensive!

Your problem is odd. If the water is reaching the gland, squeezing the gland in any plane should be sufficient to break the contact between the shaft and the seal and allow the trapped air to bleed out. I do NOT believe the problems stems from slight misalignment, either sideways or fore and aft, since the gland has what is effectively a 'cutless' bearing internally to ensure that the shaft/gland are always correctly in line.

It is possible that you have over-filled the space between the two lip seals with grease, to the extent that the comparatively low water pressure at the shaft, in your lifting keeler, is insufficient to force it through. You may also have got grease into the 'cutless' bearing grooves. I suspect one or both of these may be the problem. If so, go right ahead and use the boat/engine, because over-filling at least is a 'fail safe' problem.
You may care to do what I do because of slight difficulty in access, and use adjustable grips (VERY gently) to do the squeezing. Either way, the instructions suggest that you 'pull upwards' as you squeeze, presumably so that the air is exuded from the highest point.

Alternatively, is it possible that, with a drying mooring(?) mud or other debris has chocked up around the shaft?

Hope this helps, but if you do still have a problem after trying the above thoughts, come back and I'll see if I can dig out the instructions and email them to you.

Cheers

Jerry

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[philip_stevens]

Re: Volvo stern gland won\'t burp now

If you send me a PM with your email address, I will email you a .pdf installation instruction sheet.

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Philip

 

[AvanLoon]

Re: Volvo stern gland won\'t burp now

If my Volvo gland won't burp, I suppose the strenght of my fingers is not sufficient enough this time. Then I take the red plastic insert and put it simply over the shaft to move it into the gland. Turn around while sqeezing it in. And yo! the stinking water (and some 'air') comes in. Take out the insert and the sealing is wetted....

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[Trevor_swfyc]

Re: Volvo stern gland won\'t burp now

Phil,

Did you use the insert supplied with a new seal to protect the two seal lips before moving the shaft.
As it may be possible that you have inverted the seal lips when moving the shaft which is the only way I can see you could fail to get water from the seal when giving it a good squeeze. I assume you are only using the recommended 2ml of grease and not packing the seal.

Regards Trevor

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